Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Online marketplace Pinkoi Thailand launches

    Online marketplace Pinkoi Thailand launches

    Pinkoi Thailand, a cross-border curated online marketplace for original design products, has been officially launched.

    Founded in Taiwan in 2011, Pinkoi individually selects its items, which include original handmade or small-scale produced clothes, shoes, bags, accessories and stationery.

    By curating products, Pinkoi appeals to specific demographics, reaching e-commerce consumers in Asia who want to make quick purchases because of limited browsing time.

    In Asia, says the company, the rise of the disposable incomes of millennials has seen a growing trend toward experiential spending, which includes a greater interest in one-off designs by local artisans.

    Inspired by the weekend markets and artistic fair in Taipei, the Pinkoi team seeks out up-and- coming and established niche designers throughout Asia. It supports its network of designers through workshops covering such topics as photography and packaging, webinars and online marketing.

    Pinkoi CEO Peter Yen says the latest launch is positive news for Thai designers, with 500 already signed up and accepted. “There is an incredible art and design scene in Thailand, and these numbers are expected to grow.”

    Through Pinkoi Chatbox, consumers can chat directly with designers, and even request customised items. Through the Pinkoi Window, designers can set up their own personal web page, while the Pinkoi Zine features news about designers. The Pinkoi Wall offers gift ideas and design inspirations.

    Opal Mahavana and Koranis Nettayanuwat, who co-own WhiteOakFactory, a Thai company that creates faux-leather bags, say they have sold 4000 items through Pinkoi since joining it two years ago. “We’ve been able to reach an international market that values individuality and smaller brands, giving us a presence outside of our localised community.”

    While Pinkoi is focussed on China, Hong Kong, Japan and the US, and now Thailand, it has a presence in 88 countries. It has 1.6 million members and has sold 3.7 million items.

    Today, 8000 shops on its website and app platforms offer about 860,000 products, retailing in five languages and 12 currencies.

    Designers reap 90 per cent of sales revenues.

  • AirAsia X launches Ultimate Xventure contest to boost brand loyalty among Millennials

    AirAsia X launches Ultimate Xventure contest to boost brand loyalty among Millennials

    AirAsia X has launched a contest called Ultimate Xventure for youths aged between 18 and 32 seeking “unforgettable” adventure travel experiences.

    The goal of the contest is to introduce New Zealand as an adventurous destination and encourage millennials to experience what it has to offer. Among the main attractions of New Zealand are extreme adventure sports activities including bungy jumping in Queenstown, skydiving in Lake Taupo/Wanaka and water rafting in Rotorua, which offers travelers with a mix of exhilarating adrenaline, speed and nature.

    The winner of the contest will win a grand Prize of flight tickets to Auckland, New Zealand for four people, a four-day and three-night accommodation and also selected activities during the trip.

    For the first part, the social media Ultimate Xventure contest seeks the most creative pictures or videos of adventure sports activities and contestants are required to upload them on their Instagram with the wittiest captions and the official hashtags #UltimateXventure and #AirAsiaX.

    The social media contest has kicked off on 31 July 2017 and will end on 17 August 2017. The judging process will run from 14 until 17 August where one winner will be selected each day and announced through the Fly FM radio.

    The second part or the finale of the Ultimate Xventure contest which is in collaboration with Sunway will take place on 20 August at Sunway Lagoon Extreme Park. The winners will compete in the games that are lined up for Ultimate Xventure contest, which demonstrate the experiences available in New Zealand fulfilling the requirements of adventure seekers.

    AirAsia group chief commercial officer Siegtraund Teh said, hopefully, the contest will not only help to ignite interest of youngsters to choose New Zealand as an adventurous destination but also to create engaging activities that build AirAsia brand loyalty amongst the millennials.

    “New Zealand offers an unbeatable selection of adventure sports, and only AirAsia X can offer ‘unbeatable’ low fares from Kuala Lumpur to New Zealand for young travelers wanting to experience the thrill of a lifetime,” he added.

    Meanwhile, AirAsia has also launched its inaugural flight from Sarawak’s Kuching to Langkawi this week. The new route will operate with 4 times weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

    Spencer Lee, AirAsia head of commercial said, “We are committed to continue growing this hub as Sarawak has a lot to offer beyond a tourism destination. Increasing connectivity into Sarawak is important for us as it is also one of the top preferred investment destinations in Malaysia with Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) attracting investors to set up manufacturing plants on ICT, agriculture, industrial and many more.”

    Lee added, “Last year, we have flown about 3.2 million guests in and out of our Kuching hub and we believe the introduction of the two new routes to and from Kuching namely Pontianak recently and Langkawi now, echoes our commitment in Sarawak.[…].We look forward to strengthen this hub with further connectivity in the future.”

    Celebratory all-in-fares from RM100 one way are available for booking online at airasia.com from now until 13 August 2017 for the travel period between now and 8 February 2018. The promotional fares are also available on AirAsia’s mobile app on iPhone and Android devices, as well as the mobile site at mobile.airasia.com.

    AirAsia now flies to 11 destinations from Kuching with more than 220 weekly flights one way. Besides Langkawi, other destinations are Miri, Sibu, Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Johor Bahru, Kota Bharu, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Pontianak. Fly-Thru guests can also connect to 18 countries from Kuching via its Kuala Lumpur hub such as Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Macao and Indonesia.

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  • Cath Kidston Asia sales push profit surge

    Cath Kidston Asia sales push profit surge

    With booming sales, home-furnishing retailer Cath Kidston Asia posted a surge in profits for its latest fiscal year.

    Know for its floral patterns, the UK brand saw its underlying profits bloom by 27.4 per cent to £9.3 million (US$12 million). Turnover increased by nearly 8 per cent to £129.2 million thanks to a 20 per cent increase in overseas sales, particularly in Asia.

    “We’re having a good time across the board,” says CEO Kenny Wilson, noting the aesthetic of “pretty, feminine and floral” works well in Asia. “They also like the essential Britishness of Cath Kidston.”

    Baring Private Equity Asia acquired a majority stake in the brand last October, buying out TA Associates.The Hong Kong-based investment firm identified the Asian markets as a key target for the brand, as it continues to expand in India and Thailand.

    “Our growing international business helps mitigate the effects of the weaker sterling,” says Wilson. The company bought back its Japanese business in 2015, which has also helped with the pound fluctuating following June’s Brexit referendum.

    Cath Kidston’s online business also performed strongly, with sales up more than 10 per cent for the year – an improvement from its operating loss of £2.1 million the previous year.

    Wilson says the company has moved a “meaningful amount” of its product sourcing out of China and intro countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam to mitigate the need for price rises.

    Kidston opened her first shop in London in 1993, selling floral tablecloths, tea towels and crockery. Within a decade the brand had expanded to 219 stores globally, including China, India and Thailand. The designer still owns about 11 per cent of the business, despite having stepped down as creative director in 2014.

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  • Magnum Pleasure Store Singapore introduces coffee

    Magnum Pleasure Store Singapore introduces coffee

    A flagship for Magnum Pleasure Store Singapore has opened in Ion Orchard, offering Magnum coffee for the first time in Asia.

    Its design features special art installations such as the Singapore skyline made out of Magnum ice-cream bars and the sticks.

    There is also a Magnum Pleasure Bar where visitors can customise their ice-cream treats. Eighteen toppings available, including chopped almonds, cocoa nibs, rose petals, goji berries and chili flakes.

    In five styles, the new coffee is made from Magnum chocolate-infused coffee beans.

    Merchandise can also be bought at the store including a Magnum tumbler, notebook and a leather pouch.

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  • Max’s Group plans up to 30 new outlets this year

    Max’s Group plans up to 30 new outlets this year

    Max’s Group plans to open up to 30 more stores this year, buoyed by a solid jump in first half profit on the back of network expansion.

    The casual restaurant chain operator announced Tuesday its total sales rose 12 per cent to P8.29 billion for the first six months – profit rose by the same percentage, to P331.72 million. Max’s opened 41 new stores during the period, including six overseas, taking its total network to 650, 53 of those offshore. Yellow Cab Pizza is the star performer, especially offshore, where the company has two new development contracts to open at least 22 outlets in Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei within the next five years.

    Max’s Group’s other brands include Pancake House, Sizzlin’ Steak and Max’s Restaurants.

    Revenues from new franchises as well as royalty and continuing license fees grew 23 per cent to P333.65 million in the first half.

    “We are happy with the results despite an increasingly challenging environment,” said MGI president and CEO Robert Trota. “Moving into the next quarter, we have lined up exciting product initiatives to cushion cyclicality effects during wet season.”

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  • JD.com expansion of offline experience shops

    JD.com expansion of offline experience shops

    The company, which rose quickly to become China’s largest retailer, online or offline, through its e-commerce business, is looking to leverage the advantages of an offline experience to further expand its lead.

    It is rolling out offline “JD Retail Experience Shops”, where customers can touch and feel products ranging from digital and home appliance products, to books, JD’s DingDong smart speaker and baby and maternal products, all of which are sourced from JD.com.

    The selection is focused on products that consumers often like to feel and test in person before buying, and tailored on a store-by-store basis using the big data that we have from each neighborhood’s shopping habits.

    Using a franchise model with centralized oversight and quality control, the shops will be powered by JD’s cutting-edge retail technology for demand planning, inventory management and targeted marketing, making the storefronts more efficient and adaptable to market changes than any traditional retail business.

    The shops provide a glimpse into the way e-commerce will change the future of retail. JD is working together with service partners to adapt their supply chains to increasing demand from customers for better and faster service.

    One of the biggest pain points for retail in today’s fast-moving consumer culture is inventory management.

    Unlike e-commerce companies, brick-and-mortar retailers have to keep many physical storefronts stocked with products, leading to inventory bloat when they overestimate demand, and lost business when they underestimate it.

    JD’s technology, powered by predictive analytics using big data, will keep offline stores stocked with recommended categories and suggested amounts of products, while localizing the selection depending on consumer buying preferences in each location.

    So far, there are 92 JD Retail Experience Shops with nearly 15,000 SKUs that are stocked and replenished using JD’s smart supply chain management systems. The number will increase to 300 by end of this year.

    JD Retail Experience Shops, some of which feature children’s play areas and massage areas for the elderly, are built as 200 square-meter spaces within stores operated by JD’s service partners. In Changping, a Beijing suburb, one JD Retail Experience Shop generated 1,096 orders worth RMB 1.23 million on its opening day.

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  • Singtel deploying Massive MIMO

    Singtel deploying Massive MIMO

    Singtel is deploying Massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) technology commercially on its LTE-Advanced mobile network to improve the mobile data experience during special events.

    A precursor to 5G technology, Massive MIMO is an advanced solution used to boost network capacity in highly dense environments. The company plans to use the technology to improve mobile data speeds by up to 200% during busy periods.

    Singtel teamed up with Ericsson, Huawei and ZTE for the deployment of Massive MIMO technology at the Marina Bay area. Singtel rolled out the network boost at yesterday’s National Day celebrations, with other deployments planned for the Singapore F1 Night Race and the New Year countdown event.

    “On the joyous occasion of our National Day celebrations, Singtel is pleased to be pairing our newly-acquired 2.5-GHz spectrum with Massive MIMO technology to expand our network capacity and offer our customers an enhanced mobile experience at this and other special events,” Singtel group CTO Mark Chong said.

    Globally, large crowds gathered at events, such as concerts and festivals, use high volumes of data to share their experiences via real-time videos on social media.

    This extraordinary behaviour generates a dramatic spike in network traffic, presenting a challenge for operators to provide fast and consistent data speeds.

    Singtel has identified Massive MIMO as one of the solutions to the problem. Singtel will use Massive MIMO base stations featuring a large array of 64 antennas that improve spectral efficiency and cell capacity using innovations in radio technologies.

    The innovative antenna system channels signals to users’ specific locations instead of broadcasting across a geographical area. This multiplies the number of data paths from the cellular base stations, thus increasing network capacity and improving user experience.

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  • AirAsia now flies direct to Sihanoukville

    AirAsia now flies direct to Sihanoukville

    Malaysia-based  low cost carrier AirAsia officially launched its first direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville International Airport yesterday to cater to the increasing number of tourists keen to visit Cambodia’s coastal areas and enjoy its beaches.

    The inaugural AirAsia flight, with 180 passengers onboard, landed at 1:00 PM and returned back to Kuala Lumpur 40 minutes later, according to a Cambodia Airports press release.

    AirAsia’s four times weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville is its third route into Cambodia, with the airline flying daily to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

    Spencer Lee, commercial head at AirAsia, said that with the expansion of the airline’s services to Cambodia, AirAsia has become one of the key players in the kingdom’s tourism sector.

    “We are thrilled that our first flight to Sihanoukville marked a milestone with a successful full flight for our 50th unique route. As a truly Asean airline, it is our commitment to drive tourism efforts to all countries that we operate in – especially within the region,” said Mr Lee. 

    “This coastal city in Cambodia presents great potential and dynamic opportunities in terms of tourism, trade and economy. We are happy to be a part of this journey to develop Sihanoukville further,” he added.

    “Our footprint in Cambodia to date would not be possible without the help from local parties and we would like to thank the Cambodian airport authorities for their tremendous support.

    “With Sihanoukville added into our extensive network map of over 120 destinations, we hope to enable this city to be a popular tourist destination that enables travellers from the region to experience a hidden side of Asean that has yet to be discovered.”

    Mr Lee said AirAsia aims to develop Sihanoukville to become a tourist hotspot like how it has introduced unique destinations such as Luang Prabang in Laos, Indonesia’s Banda Aceh and Bhubaneswar in India.

    “Travellers looking to bask in the sun and enjoy the waters can look to the unspoiled tropical island of Koh Rong Samloem for beautiful sandy beaches, jungle mountains, mangrove and marine life. While the most popular beach in Sihanoukville, Ochheuteal Beach, boasts a late night scene with restaurants and bars.”

    Eric Delobel, CEO of Cambodia Airports, said that AirAsia’s direct flights to Sihanoukville would better facilitate Cambodia’s connectivity to all parts of the world.

    “Our successful partnership with AirAsia is moving up another step and it is a key driver in connecting Cambodia to the world,” he added.

    Mr Delobel said Cambodia Airports was keen to attract more airlines to Sihanoukville and for that reason it would inaugurate in early 2018 a new airport terminal and at the same time renovate the airport runway to cater to bigger aircraft.

    Taing Sochet Krisna, director of Sihanoukville provincial tourism department, said that AirAsia will help to promote the image of the country’s coastal area and attract more tourists, investment and trade.

    “Now tourists will be able to fly directly to my province,” he said.

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  • Brazilian Flip Flops Brand Enters Suzhou Jiuguang

    Brazilian Flip Flops Brand Enters Suzhou Jiuguang

    Brazil’s well-known flip flops brand Ipanema opened a new store in Jiuguang Department Store, Suzhou, which is reportedly Ipanema’s seventh store in the city.

    Established in 2001, Ipanema provides four major series of products, including women’s products, men’s products, children’s products, and brand-partnered products; and its product lines cover flip flops, sandals, and slippers.

    The company started expanding into international markets in 2003 and over the following ten years, Ipanema became a popular high-end sandals brand in over 90 countries with its unique designs and comfortable products.

    Ipanema’s sandals are mainly made from PVC materials and processed with a special soft rubber compound technology.

    At the same time, 99% of its materials are claimed to be recyclable, which meets the environmental standard of developed countries. The brand will launch new products each season and about 400 new products are available annually.

    Ipanema’s manufacturer is the large sandals maker Grendene. Grendene was founded in Farroupilha in 1971 and it currently has 13 large factories and over 30,000 employees.

    The company is a large group enterprise which integrates material production, abrasives development, design, and brand management.

    At present, Ipanema products are well received in countries like United States, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, India, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Paraguay, and Mexico.

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  • Giorgio Armani brings made-to-measure service to Hong Kong

    Giorgio Armani brings made-to-measure service to Hong Kong

    Since its launch, Giorgio Armani’s made-to-measure service has captivated a lot of customers.

    It also has a celebrity following, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Paolo Sorrentino, Christian Bale, Tom Cruise, Will Smith and George Clooney.

    Made-to-measure suits combine the spirit of Armani with the premium quality of craftsmanship.

    “To qualify as a true bespoke, or hand-made garment, there are certain elements you need to deliver,” Giorgio Armani says.

    The customer is able to select from a number silhouettes, and choose the material, the lining, the lapel the style of buttons and pocket combinations.

    Specialised tailors from Italy will provide the exclusive made-to-measure service in Hong Kong at Giorgio Armani’s Central store from September 22 to 23 and at Giorgio Armani’s Canton Road store on September 24. Appointments are necessary.

  • Belize’s Smart goes live with FTS’ convergent billing

    Belize’s Smart goes live with FTS’ convergent billing

    Smart based in Belize has implemented FTS’ real-time billing and charging solution to support its expansion into 4G LTE as it offers innovative services to its customers.

    Supporting Smart’s LTE, 3G and 2G networks on a single platform, FTS’ Leap Billing solution includes convergent charging, billing, invoicing, customer management and partner management. In addition, FTS has provided Smart with a mobile solution, including prepaid IN gateway, voicemail and IVR systems.

    “Throughout the project FTS demonstrated its experience in implementing complex, multi-network solutions,” said Ernesto Torres, Smart’s CEO. “FTS’ billing solution enables us to provide new services while achieving an enhanced customer experience.

    As our growth continues, we look forward to FTS’ continued support.”

    Using FTS’ billing system, Smart can now configure and deploy real-time promotions, new pricing plans and loyalty programs. This enables the rapid delivery of innovative services such as shared data plans, social media packages and more.

    “This project demonstrates FTS’ ability to deploy complex, end-to-end, BSS and VAS systems,” said Avi Kachlon, FTS’ CEO.

    “This successful project marks another important milestone for FTS as we further expand our presence in the Caribbean and Latin American markets,” said Kachlon. “We are working closely with our customers to support their operations, and are looking forward to a long-term partnership with Smart.”

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  • Vietnam launches derivatives market to boost liquidity

    Vietnam launches derivatives market to boost liquidity

    Vietnam’s derivatives market is officially launched today, with stock futures contracts the first to begin trading.

    Derivatives trading was planned several years ago to help draw more investment to Vietnam’s capital markets and broaden the country’s finance industry.

    The futures market would initially launch stock index contracts, and when fully operational, more instruments would be introduced.

    “(The launch) will help attract more foreign investors, institutional investors in particular, and boost market liquidity,” the stock exchange said in a statement.

    The VN30-Index, which is reviewed periodically, captures the performance of the 30 largest companies by market capitalization on the Ho Chi Minh city stock exchange. The futures contracts are allowed to move by a maximum of 7 percent in each session.

    The benchmark VN Index has jumped 19.1 percent so far this year and hit its highest level of 796.62 points since 2008 on Tuesday.

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  • VPBank gets all clear to offer 1.3bln shares on Saigon market debut

    VPBank gets all clear to offer 1.3bln shares on Saigon market debut

    The bank’s market capitalization is expected to reach $2.5 billion following the offering.

    The Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank) was given approval on August 8 to list on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE).

    The bank plans to make its IPO on August 17 under the code VPB with a reference price of VND39,000 ($1.72).

    The bank’s market capitalization is expected to reach $2.5 billion following the offering, which would make it the largest private bank listed on the HoSE.

    The bank said it plans to pay its shareholders a 15 percent dividend in 2018.

    VPBank has set a consolidated net profit target of $374 million for 2018, a 50 percent increase compared to the target set for 2017.

    In the first half of this year, the bank made $141 million in pre-tax profit, equivalent to 40 percent of its annual target.

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  • Air cargo experiences strongest first half year growth since 2010

    Air cargo experiences strongest first half year growth since 2010

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air freight markets showing that demand, measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs), grew by 10.4% in the first-half of 2017 compared to the first-half of 2016. This was the strongest first half-year performance since air cargo’s rebound from the Global Financial Crisis in 2010 and nearly triple the industry’s average growth rate of 3.9% over the last five years.

    Freight capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometers (AFTKs), grew by 3.6% in the first half of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. Demand growth continues to significantly outstrip capacity growth, which is positive for yields.

    Air cargo’s strong performance in the first half of 2017 was confirmed by June’s results. Year-on-year demand growth in June increased 11% compared to the same year-earlier period. Freight capacity grew by 5.2% year-on-year in June.

    The sustained growth of air freight demand is consistent with an improvement in global trade, with new global export orders remaining close to a six-year high. However, there are some signs that the cyclical growth period may have peaked. The global inventory-to-sales ratio has stopped falling. This indicates that the period when companies look to restock inventories quickly, which often gives air cargo a boost, may be nearing an end. Regardless of these developments, the outlook for air freight is optimistic with demand expected to grow at a robust rate of 8% during the third quarter of this year.

    “Air cargo is flying high on the back of a stronger global economy. Demand is growing at a faster pace than at any time since the Global Financial Crisis. That’s great news after many years of stagnation. And, even more importantly, the industry is taking advantage of this momentum to accelerate much-needed process modernization and improve the value it provides to its many customers,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

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  • American bistro TR Fire Grill debuts in Malaysia

    American bistro TR Fire Grill debuts in Malaysia

    In its first overseas venture, American restaurant chain TR Fire Grill has launched in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

    Owned by Romacorp restaurant group, the award-winning concept first opened in Florida in November 2015. Its Malaysian business is owned and run by Pier Seafood, a wholly owned subsidiary of Revenue Valley, which already has a Romacorp brand, Tony Roma’s, run through its Grand Companions subsidiary.

    “Our chef-driven aesthetic uses local ingredients and flavours,” says Romacorp president/CEO Bradley Scher. The company also has a TR Fire Grill bistro in Hawaii.

    Meats and vegetables are smoked in-house daily using hickory wood. Its steaks are free of antibiotics, hormones or genetically modified organisms. Sauces and specialty condiments are made in-house, and craft cocktails are made with liquors aged in small oak barrels or infused with fresh fruit and spices.

    Seating more than 180 guests, the restaurant has a cigar room and a full bar.

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